Bad Day
by Kafira-chan
Summary: Mai sets her kitchen on fire. Where will she stay? What happens when fate has it out for you in an.. unusual way. MaixNaru


_~~~I don't own Ghost Hunt. I'm sorry if Naru seems a bit out of character. And the kissing scene... if it sucks please tell me. I really need to know. Thanks.~~~_

She hadn't meant to set her apartment of fire. It had in all honestly been an accident. She had simply been trying to cook and then simply, sorta, kinda, forgotten about it. After that it was all history, or ash and smoke to be more correct. Her kitchen was in cinders while the rest of her apartment smelled of smoke and was covered in soot. There was also some water damage caused by the fire department when they put out the kitchen.

All things considered it wasn't any wonder when she rolled into work three hours late and covered in soot. Everyone stared at her when she entered, her face turning red in embarrassment at her really dumb act that put her the center of everyone's attention.

"What happened to you Mai?? Where have you been?" Bou-san yelled, acting the part of the older brother she thought of him as. Sometimes she really wished he would just shut up though seeing how everyone waited for her answer intently.

"Nothing happened really." Sadly everyone seemed inclined to believe this because no one pressured her anymore and Naru's order for tea cut off any further speculation. They were all intent on the case that Naru presented them with too.

It wasn't until everyone left that Mai was asked about it again. "Did you burn down you house?" Naru asked. He probably was just trying to be mean but he was close to the mark.

"Actually my kitchen in my apartment but same concept." Mai muttered, extremely embarrassed. Naru and Lin-san looked at her expressionlessly for a moment. She had actually managed to shock them at the length that trouble finds her.

"How, per say, were you stupid enough to manage that?" He actually managed to look a little concerned and insult her at the same time. And people say guys can't multi-task.

"Why should I tell you?! You'll just make fun of me!" Mai yelled, her eyes tearing up a bit at how stressful everything had been plus Naru being a jerk on top of that. Within seconds though she was laughing hysterically though. She had lit her kitchen on fire cooking, which she normally was excellent at, and on top of that she had no where to stay and Naru was making fun of her, justly but inconveniently.

Lin and Naru looked at each, both still holding up the emotionless façade but both deeply worried about the girl in front of them. She changed from crying to laughing in seconds and she was covered in ash.

"Actually it was pretty stupid. I was cooking and I forgot about it. I've never done that before so its actually kind of funny." she continued laughing as she explained what happened. She was only laughing to keep from bawling her eyes out thus embarrassing her more in front of her boss and coworker.

Naru was stuck. He figured out early on Mai was only laughing to keep from crying yet if he didn't insult her then he would look out of character. "Go clean yourself up you idiot, then I want to talk to you in my office." Mai forcibly called herself down before nodding and walking into the bathroom, the bathroom door to be correct. Naru watched her with amusement while Lin watched the young boy. It was like a comedy, maybe the three stooges minus on to Lin.

Righting herself, face a red beckon of embarrassment, Mai opened the door before attempting to enter the bathroom again, this time successfully. Washing up was quick and easy though she did somehow almost drown herself in the sink, she was still unclear as to how that was even possible seeing how there wasn't any water in it. It just wasn't her day.

Mai exited the bathroom twelve minutes later dripping wet and looking like something that resembled a drowned rat. She dripped her way into Naru's office, knocked of the door and opened it. Then she managed to trip over her own feet stumble forward into his office and do a stunning sprawling dive at his feet in a soggy mess.

Naru looked at her with an emotion that could only be classified as amusement. He couldn't even be annoyed at her because she looked so pitiful. She pulled herself up slowly before bowing to Naru.

"I'm sorry." She muttered, waiting to be called stupid or an idiot. It never happened. Instead Naru was struggling with his emotions, trying really hard not to laugh which would have been a total image ruiner.

There was an uncomfortable silence that stretched on for a couple minutes, Naru slowly regaining his firm composure while Mai waited to see what he had to say. Mai was the one who broke down and ended the silence.

"You needed to talk to me Naru?" She asked it cautiously like she was afraid of his answer, or afraid that it would blow up in her face like everything else she did was doing.

"Yes. You don't have a place to stay since you set fire to your place." It wasn't a question. It was a very blunt statement. "You can stay at my place so I can keep an eye on you while your apartment is being fixed. I for one know that there won't be any danger of you burning down my kitchen." He did it again. He mixed being nice with an insult which left Mai slightly confused.

"Um.. Thank you?" It was formed as a question. She didn't know whether to be thankful for the offer of a place to stay or run for cover at the thought of living with her boss and crush for the space of time it took to get her place fixed.

Naru raised his eyebrow at the way she said thank you before smirking at the slightly panicked look on her face. He got up and grabbed his coat from the back of his chair before heading towards the door. Mai looked after him confused.

"You'd like some clothes tonight wouldn't you?" He asked as he walked out the door. Mai hurried to catch up.

Getting the stuff that Mai needed from her apartment shouldn't have been cause for much fuss yet there was one when Naru insited on going in to help her. He stated that it would be quicker and though that may be true she still didn't want him to see the mess she had made so she put up a fight and still loss in the end. So she stomped up to her apartment with Naru following behind in well hidden amusement.

That amusement actually became evident when they arrived at Mai's apartment after a few incidents of her tripping up the stairs, running into opening doors and tripping over a dangerously placed flower pot. Naru looked around her smoky, soot covered apartment with obvious amusement, especially in the charred kitchen area.

"Hurry and get packed." He ordered as he examined the kitchen.

Mai sputtered in anger for a moment before heaving a sigh of defeat and going to pack what she could. Luckily her closet didn't smell to badly of smoke so her clothes were fine to some extent.

After packing up all she thought she would need they left to go to Naru's. Mai amazingly enough didn't trip going down the stairs.

Naru's apartment was comfortable and well furnished, which actually surprised Mai a bit because she tended to imagine him bunkering down in a office looking room. Mai looked around as he walked into the kitchen and immediately put on some water for tea. Mai had a theory about that to; a robot that ran off of tea.

"Um.. Naru? Where should I put my stuff?" She stood awkwardly by the couch in his living room, looking around at everything and feeling very out of place.

Naru walked back in almost silently. "Place them on the floor." He indicated a spot in the corner with his hand before turning back to the kitchen.

Mai did as she was told before she wondered into the kitchen after him. Watching him make tea was odd but he had said he wouldn't risk her burning down his home. "So Lin-san doesn't live with you?" Naru just raised an eyebrow. "Well, we all kinda assumed you two lived together or something since you always seemed to arrive at the same time and leave at the same time."

Naru nodded. "He lives in the apartment two doors over." That actually made sense to the overly stressed brain of Mai. The way Naru was watching her didn't. He was watching her intently, taking in her every move and her every facial expression.

She got uncomfortable fast, not that she didn't enjoy the attention, she did because she was madly in love with the guy yet he seemed strange. In a futile attempt to distract his attention Mai asked, "So um… where am I going to sleep?"

Naru smirked and pointed at the couch. The leather love seat couch. Mai almost flinched just looking at it but then again she had slept on worse, namely her desk at work. "Okay." An awkward silence fell as Naru continued to sip his tea and Mai stared into hers. Finally Mai had enough. "Thank you, Naru. For letting me have a place to stay." She stood there and played with her cup, her eyes down cast.

"I couldn't very well let you go on with no place to stay, what kind of employer would I be. It would only make you come in all that much more late. I also could not allow you to become a nuisance to someone else." His face stayed emotionless as he sat down his empty mug on the table beside him.

Mai felt a little hurt that he wasn't doing it out of the goodness of his heart but she hadn't really been expecting it. "A simple you're welcome would have sufficed." She muttered as she walked towards the kitchen to put her cup up. At least that was the plan but whatever had it out for her today, be it fate or who knows what, had other plans. She tripped over her own feet and started falling towards the ground.

There was no impact though, instead warm arms wrapped themselves around her to steady her and keep her from meeting the ground. Naru pulled her closer to him, almost like he was afraid to let her go so soon after she had got to her feet. Or maybe he just didn't want to let her go. Her face sported a crimson blush and her brown eyes were wide in surprise and left over fear from the fall. Her skin was warm and soft to the touch, like a flower petal that had been in the sun all day.

Mai looked up at Naru. He held her close to his chest and she felt safe and comfortable there, though she was extremely embarrassed. His eyes were the same sharp blue that they were every day she looked into them yet there was something different, there was some emotions swirling in them as he looked down at her. A smirk slowly spread on his lips as he continued to look at Mai.

Mai tried to take a step back, anything to put some distance between her and the tempting boy before she did something she regretted but his arms locked themselves around her. He pulled her closer to him. "Mai, do you really think that the only reason I want you here is to keep you out of trouble?" He muttered. "If so you're dumber than I thought. If that was the case I would have sent you off to Bou-san's or Ayako's." He seemed to be hinting at something though it went right over Mai's head. She continued to stare at him in confusion.

He sighed. "I guess there's only on way to explain it." He pressed his lips against hers in a soft kiss. She stood there for a millisecond, eyes open wide in shock before she let her eyes fall closed and pressed her lips harder against his. Naru wrapped his arms tighter around Mai, pressing her as close to him as she could get. Mai's arms found their way around his neck, her fingers running through his silky soft hair. Naru flicked his tongue out, licking Mai's lips. She opened her lips in surprise letting Naru gain access to her mouth. His tongue explored her mouth, taking its time and exploring everything before Mai's tongue began fighting his for dominance. They soon surfaced for air. Naru kissed his way down her neck where he found her sweet spot. He sucked on it causing Mai to moan in pleasure before he found his way back to her lips.

Pulling away Mai looked at Naru, his eyes were burning and his face was flushed. What she saw in his eyes made her catch her breath, it was not lust though that was defiantly there, it was a much deeper emotion. "I love you, Naru." She kissed him softly. Naru's eyes seemed to brighten when he heard those words.

"I love you too Mai. Every last idiotic, fire starting part of you." He smiled at her, an actual smile before claiming her lips again. He pulled away to whisper, "I'm glad you set your kitchen on fire." before leading her into his bedroom. They were almost to the bed, lips locked when Mai tripped again.

A shout was heard by Lin-san two doors down, "DAMN YOU FATE FOR HATING ME!"


End file.
